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Seminar Topics

Fall 2017: Core 101 Section Information

INSTRUCTOR

SECTION

TIME

TITLE

DESCRIPTION

Roberts, Bill

101.01

MWF Noon

Global Scholars

How are our lives shaped by the forces of globalization on a daily basis? How can we measure the forces of globalization, and make meaning of the multiple ways our individual biographies intersect with the broader stream of global social history? What does it mean to be a global citizen in the 21st century—and, moreover, to be a global citizen educated with the ethos of civility and respect as articulated in the St. Mary's Way? How can we share what we have learned with the communities that we visit and in which we live? These are the questions that will be woven throughout the semester seminar of the Global Scholars Program.

Tredway, Kristi

101.02

TR Noon

The Female Athlete

This course will be an exploration of contemporary cultural issues in women’s sports. From efforts to block women’s participation in sport and physical activity to the counter-measures to dismantle those barriers, we will be using tools from sociology, history, political science, biology and biochemistry, and psychology to investigate the female athlete. Topics that may be covered include the controversial nature of sex verification, gender and female bodily comportment, Title IX, the Battle of the Sexes, media representations of female athletes, nationalism, the Olympics, dis/abilities, race and intersectionality, lesbian and transgender issues, and pay equity.

Malisch, Jessica

101.04

MWF Noon

STRESS and the Science of Chillin'

What is stress? In the words of the first stress physiologist Hans Selye, "Everybody knows what stress is, and nobody knows what it is." In this seminar we will explore the dynamic nature of stress, when it is beneficial, when it is detrimental and how to manage stress and stay chill while succeeding at an honors college. We will explore the evolutionary origin of the stress response and how chronic stress in humans can lead to mental and physical health consequences. We will also focus on coping mechanisms and resilience while exploring our campus resources for stress management.

Talley, F.J.

101.05

TR Noon

Privilege, Power and Difference (DB section)

This seminar will examine the complexities of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability in academic culture and consider their impact on students' identity development and academic life. In doing so, the class will explore the distinctive experiences, challenges, and opportunities of under-represented students in higher education in general, and in particular at St. Mary's. Students will discover how they, like those who have gone before then, can maximize the benefits of their liberal arts education by cultivating self-understanding, developing critical skills, managing time and relationships, and prepare for campus leadership.

Dillingham, Alan

101.09

MWF Noon

The Value of College Today

The rising cost of college, increasing student debt burdens and the employment challenges of new college graduates have caused many today to question the value of a college education. Moreover, technological advances are generating big, rapid and disorienting changes in the nature of work and in the occupation mix of the economy. In this course, we explore the value of college to those individuals facing the changing world of work in the 21st century.

Coleman, Jeff

101.10

TR Noon

Black Lives Matter

The shooting death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012 and the subsequent acquittal of George Zimmerman awakened the activist spirit of many Americans, especially those of Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. The feminist trio developed #BlackLivesMatter in response to Martin’s death and have since transitioned the movement from the Internet to the streets. The Black Lives Matter movement has been instrumental in organizing protests against the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in Staten Island, Sandra Bland in Hempstead, TX, Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Freddie Gray in Baltimore, and many others. College students, regardless of race, class, gender or sexual orientation, have been drawn to the objectives of Black Lives Matter and many have become part of a new generation of American activists. In addition to analyzing the history, principles and actions of Black Lives Matter, this course will examine the movement as part of a continuum of American liberation movements, including feminist, civil rights and LGBTQ movements. Black Lives Matter was not created in a vacuum; therefore, historical contextualization is essential to understanding why, in the twenty-first century, the founding members felt the need to remind all Americans of our shared worth and humanity. The course will also explore why Black Lives Matter has interrogated America’s increasingly racialized prison industrial complex, questioned the use of militarized police forces in underrepresented communities and reinvigorated age-old practices of civil disobedience and democratic resistance.

Moore, Leslie

101.12

TR Noon

True Grit: The Art of Resilience (DB section)

Do you believe we are the creators of our own life-paths? If so, that makes all of us artists, each in our own way. Have you ever wondered what it is that causes two people in similarly difficult circumstances to experience vastly different outcomes? One may succumb while the other flourishes. Resilience is the key to taking life as it comes and seeing all experience as the raw material to sculpt a satisfying life of purpose and personal growth. In this course, we’ll look at art and artists of all kinds as we explore the idea of resilience: what it is, why it matters, and how to develop it in a way that’s meaningful for each “artist” in the course. Our exploration will provide the context for strengthening reading, writing, and speaking skills which provide the foundation for a full and rich educational experience.

Nelson, Colby

101.13

TR Noon

The Beatles

This course will examine the history and legacy of The Beatles. In addition to studying the composition and production of many of their songs, we will think about the band's popularity in post-World War II British and U.S. culture and their relationship to countercultural movements of the 1960s. We will also attempt to understand the reasons for the band's dissolution and their subsequent impact on popular music in the late twentieth century. Some prior experience and familiarity with reading music and music theory is recommended for this course. (NOTE: This course features some challenging texts and writing assignments, and the work load is significant. Please consider this course only if you are invested in the topic and seeking a challenge!)

Wilson, Bruce

101.14

TR 6:00

Japanese Arts and Ways

When an American reporter in Japan asked why, after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that shook Japan in 2011, there had been so little looting in the country, to his surprise most of the people he interviewed attributed the cooperativeness, discipline, and compassion that the Japanese people displayed to the widespread practice of the traditional Japanese arts. In fact, when polled, contemporary Japanese often identify their spirituality as lying within the practice of a Way, or Dō, rather than within what we might usually term a religion. These Ways can range from things like Chadō, the Way of Tea, to Shodō, the Way of Calligraphy, to Budō, the Way of the Martial Arts. As the semester unfolds, we will alternate reading and discussion of texts drawn from a variety of sources, academic and popular, Asian and western, with the hands-on practice of Kadō, the Way of Flowers. My hope is that theory and practice, texts and flower instruction, will open meaningful windows not only upon one another but upon how the practice of an art reveals the art of living.

Bates, Robin

101.15

TR Noon

Murakami's Existential Fantasies

Haruki Murakami is a contemporary Japanese author whose works have a worldwide cult following. This is in part because Murakami speaks to young people’s feelings of alienation in a globalized world, in part because he uses a blend of fantasy and realism (called “magical realism”) to do so. We will examine how Murakami’s fiction captures life in modern Japan and also why it speaks to wider audiences, especially young people. We will look at such novels as Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, Wild Sheep Chase, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and Kafka on the Shore.

Holden, Chuck

101.17

MWF Noon

The Many Lives of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln remains a figure of extraordinary interest for many people. But who was he? With so many Lincoln legends, is there still such a thing as the "real" Abraham Lincoln? This seminar will examine both what Lincoln’s actual life was like and how his image has been utilized in the decades since. We will examine the creation and the meanings of the image of Lincoln as the "rail-splitter" and "Honest Abe" while he was alive, as well as the modern image of Lincoln as cyborg and vampire hunter.

Ballesteros, Jose

101.18

MWF Noon

Creativity as Force in Social Change (DB section)

In this seminar we examine creative written work and other forms of popular expression (including essays, films, music, and TV shows) that have as an obvious aim the promotion of social change while dealing with the complexities of race, class, disability, and/or gender and sexuality in the US. Analysis of these works will lead students to develop and present their own creative portfolio during the semester. Student work will explore the distinctive experiences, challenges, and opportunities of marginalized populations in US culture.

MacLeod, George

101.19

MWF Noon

Being a Brat: Stories about Kids and Teens

“Grow up.” “That’s childish.” “Act your age. “Don’t be a brat.” We’ve all heard these expressions before. Often getting called a “kid” means that someone thinks you’re being selfish, weak, or just plain dumb. But are kids really all that bad? And if kids are so obnoxious, why are they the stars of so many movies and books made by adults? “Being a Brat” looks at how adult authors and filmmakers portray children in movies, novels, and comic books. Through class discussions, short writing assignments, and on-line journaling, we’ll think about what we really mean when we call someone a “brat” or a “kid.” We’ll encounter the story of a boy in Paris who yearns to see the ocean; a young woman in West Africa who dreams of becoming a doctor; a 12-year-old with ADHD descended from Greek gods; and a 6-year-old girl in Iran who believes she can change the world. This course imparts the skills in critical thinking, writing, researching, and speaking that will help you succeed at St. Mary’s during your first year and beyond.

Kung, Dave

101.20

MWF Noon

Mind-bending Mathematical Paradoxes

Paradoxes force us to confront seemingly contradictory statements, ones that the world's best minds have spent centuries grappling with. This course takes you inside their thinking and shows you how to resolve the apparent contradictions – or why you should accept the strange results! Statements that prove themselves true! A train that is both contained inside a tunnel - and longer than that tunnel! Creating two balls from one, just by cutting and rearranging the pieces! Explore the riddles that stumped humans, and see the ingenious, sometimes revolutionary solutions they discovered. You will not only learn how complex and nuanced the world is, you'll train your mind to better deal with life's everyday conundrums.

Lawrence, Deborah

101.21

TR Noon

What's Love Got To Do With It? Love Songs Then and Now

The importance of love has had musicians writing songs about it for hundreds of years. In this course we will explore both similarities and differences in how people have musically and poetically expressed their responses to this essential human emotion over the course of about 1000 years. We will also examine and discuss how different performers and performances can nuance our understanding of their meaning, sometimes with controversial results. We will consider how to interpret the the texts and the music, and you will develop your listening skills. No prior knowledge of music -- including the ability to read notated music -- is needed.

Basaran, Betul

101.22

MWF Noon

Muslim Women, Resistance and Revolution

Contrary to their popular representation as mere victims of male oppression, Muslim women have a long history of resistance and involvement in revolutions. This course will explore that history and examine its implications for Muslim women’s movements -- both in contemporary Muslim societies, and in the U.S. to resist Islamophobia, racial and religious discrimination, and patriarchy in order to demand comprehensive social and racial justice.

Schroeder, John

101.23

TR Noon

Philosophy and Film

This course will explore philosophical issues related to the study of film. We will study traditional philosophical texts in both Eastern and Western philosophy--including those from Plato, the Buddha, Descartes, Hinduism, Nietzsche, and Sartre—and we will critically evaluate films from Korea, Tibet, India, Europe, and the US. No prior knowledge of philosophy or film theory is required for this course, though an active, critical approach toward the readings, film viewings, and class discussions is necessary.

Schroeder, John

101.24

TR 6:00

Philosophy and Film

This course will explore philosophical issues related to the study of film. We will study traditional philosophical texts in both Eastern and Western philosophy--including those from Plato, the Buddha, Descartes, Hinduism, Nietzsche, and Sartre—and we will critically evaluate films from Korea, Tibet, India, Europe, and the US. No prior knowledge of philosophy or film theory is required for this course, though an active, critical approach toward the readings, film viewings, and class discussions is necessary.

Kushner, Danielle

101.25

TR Noon

Politics of the City

This course is designed to introduce students to the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing modern cities. A significant amount of course material is devoted specifically to the study of Baltimore. These materials will focus on important issues facing the city of Baltimore such as police brutality, crime, gentrification and failing schools, among others. In addition to scholarly literature, we will also examine Baltimore issues via critical viewings and analyses of the acclaimed HBO series The Wire. In addition to Baltimore, we will also study issues related to local governance in other American and international cities. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with the many challenges facing the modern city, including access to quality and affordable housing, drugs, crime and policing, ethnic and racial tensions and poverty. Students will also know how to assess these challenges and provide potential solutions using existing theories of urban governance as a starting point.

Shafqat, Sahar

101.26

TR 6:00

The Global City

The city is at the heart of the modern imagination. It serves as a home, a community, a place where production and economic activity is located, and the node of a transportation and commercial network. Recently, we have seen the rise of a new kind of city: the global city. These cities are not just embodiments of the urban ideal, but also occupy a special place in the global economy and political structure. This seminar will explore what the global city is, how it functions, how it is structured, and how it is changing the way we think about cities.

Platt, Rich

101.27

MWF Noon

Critical Thinking: A User's Guide to the Mind

Why does ebola seem scarier than influenza? How do advertisers lead us to make incorrect inferences about their products? Why do physicians (and many others) misinterpret the results of medical tests? How do superstitions develop? In this course we will explore what we know about the mental processes involved in human thought. While we generally like to think of ourselves as critical thinkers, many of our beliefs, decisions, and judgments are driven by habits of mind that can lead to systematic and predictable errors and biases. This course will examine the situations where these errors are most likely to occur and what we can do about them to improve our critical thinking processes.

Mantell, James

101.28

MWF Noon

Mind, Brain, Music

The human mind is exquisitely tuned for music. This course presents a modern exploration of an ancient human practice by emphasizing music-related research in psychology and neuroscience. Your own music preferences and experiences will guide us as we uncover the scientific literature comprising music behaviors. Why do we make music, obsessively listen to it, and maintain our subjective preferences for particular genres and styles? How do our pitch, rhythm, and music-movement abilities develop from birth and beyond? We will examine evidence for our subtly intertwined music-language mental systems and we will consider the extent of musical abilities in nonhuman animals. With our developing background in the psychology of music, we will scrutinize the role of music in everyday life and seek to understand how music can alter our emotional and cognitive states of mind to influence our overt behaviors. Finally, we will examine extraordinary cases of musical ability and impairment to learn how music, like every other human behavior, arises from the myriad, complex, and mysterious patterns of activation in the brain. Rock on!

Koenig, Cynthia

101.29

TR Noon

Emerging Adulthood

Most college students in industrialized countries are in a stage of development that psychological scientists have labeled "emerging adulthood". This stage (which begins around age 18 and continues into the mid- to late-20s) is characterized by identity exploration, intimate relationship developments, frequent job and geographic changes, and a sense of being "not quite an adult but not quite a child either". In this course, we will discuss many topics related to this stage of development and what it means for your future, your relationships with parents, intimate partners, and peers, and for the larger sociocultural environment you will join when you graduate from college. What does it mean to be a "millenial"? How are you different from your parents, your grandparents, and great-grandparents -- all of whom may have had different experiences at this same age. Why has this stage of development emerged only in the last couple decades? How will your stage of emerging development impact the choices you make on your path to full adulthood and beyond? Take this course if you are interested in exploring possible answers to all these questions.

Grossman, Josh

101.30

MWF Noon

xkcd: Science,Humor & Communication

xkcd’s creator, Randall Munroe, describes it as “A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.” Featuring topics in science, relationships, and absurdity, the simple drawing style often masks innovative stylistic and presentation techniques. Side projects, such as What If? and Thing Explainer, further delve into science and technology with unusual yet effective communication styles. In this course, we will celebrate geek culture. We will explore useful techniques of communication with words and with graphics. We will also learn critical thinking techniques for tackling quantitative issues, both profound and absurd.

Cognard-Black, Andrew

101.31

MWF Noon

Cities, Place, and Space

Most people today live in or around cities, but it has not always been so. In many ways, the development of human civilization is marked by growth in city living, and the story of that growth is woven into a tapestry both of grandeur as well as human misery. What's more, for many of us, where we're from is embedded in our identity: where we come from is part of the memories that we carry with us, that center us, that define who we are. And those places overlap within us in complex ways, a combination of unknown ancestral homelands, neighborhoods where we grew up, or cities we left behind. In this course, we will use the study and the stories of the city—from concentrations of political and economic power in Rome, New York, and DC, to urban enclaves in Chinatown and The Castro, to racial segregation, to urban planning and the existential funk of suburban living—as a vehicle to explore what it means to be human in the modern context.